In recent months, as [tag]Ann Coulter[/tag] has put more effort into being less sane, a few newspapers that carry her nationally-syndicated column have begun questioning the wisdom of giving Coulter an outlet. Earlier this month, The Gazette of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, had seen enough and dropped her column. The paper in Shreveport, La., is apparently […]
Last week, [tag]White House[/tag] Press Secretary [tag]Tony Snow[/tag] raised the rhetorical stakes in the debate over [tag]stem-cell[/tag] r[tag]esearch[/tag] by arguing that the policy is “[tag]murder[/tag].” More specifically, asked to explain the president’s position on the issue, Snow said, “The simple answer is he thinks murder’s wrong.” Snow’s choice of words put White House Chief of […]
During the 2004 presidential campaign, the Bush-Cheney campaign enforced a rigorous “bubble,” which limited audiences to pre-screened sycophants, some of whom were asked to sign loyalty oaths. During Bush’s campaign to privatize Social Security, a strictly-enforced bubble was used again, ensuring that the president would only take “questions” from those who were already convinced Bush […]
The Republican National Committee sent an email to its members today, “written” by the president himself. It has a lot of the usual palaver — I counted four times the email used “Democrat” when it should have used “Democratic” — but I was a little surprised by what the email didn’t say. Republicans understand that […]
There’s a new book coming out called “Applebee’s America,” which purports to offer some helpful insights into the political landscape. But if the quiz the authors are using is any indication, I’m a little concerned about the book’s reliability. In this era of technology, terror, and massive social change, it takes a deft touch to […]
In [tag]Afghanistan[/tag], freedom is also on the march — including the freedom to be harassed by a government agency that the Taliban used a little too effectively. Under the [tag]Taliban[/tag], officials from the [tag]Department for the Prevention of Vice[/tag] and [tag]Promotion of Virtue[/tag] struck fear into women’s hearts, beating those who let a glimpse of […]
Today’s installment of campaign-related news items that wouldn’t generate a post of their own, but may be of interest to political observers: * A poll released over the weekend from the Columbus Dispatch shows Dems surging to big leads in both of Ohio’s key statewide elections. In the gubernatorial race, the Dispatch poll shows Rep. […]
For literally decades, the [tag]Justice Department[/tag]’s [tag]Civil Rights[/tag] Division has had a hiring committee, made up of veteran career lawyers, who screened thousands of resumes, interviewed candidates, and made recommendations that were rarely rejected. Attorneys who were hired to the Division were not only excellent lawyers, but had demonstrated a firm commitment and years of […]
There’s been a little too much talk lately from high-profile conservatives who want to distance themselves from Bush, claiming he’s not a real conservative. [tag]William F. Buckley[/tag] seems to be the latest to join the trend, though he’s emphasizing more foreign policy than domestic. (thanks to slip kid for the heads-up) Buckley finds himself parting […]
NASA, as part of the agency’s drive to make its work relevant and applicable to challenges we face close to home, adopted a mission statement a few years ago that said, “To [tag]understand[/tag] and [tag]protect[/tag] our home [tag]planet[/tag]; to explore the universe and search for life; to inspire the next generation of explorers … as […]